Dirt-simple chemistry MUST-knows for tank health

[Sk8r]

Ultimately, if you want a packed reef, either a calcium reactor, ---or maybe Balling Method. I'm not familiar with that method, but it claims to handle larger tanks---you might research it and find out; also check out two-part: there's some simiilarity. But it's at least pretty sure that ultimately kalk won't keep up for you. You'll know when you've reached that limit when your kalk drip just can't maintain the levels.

 

[avelino78]

Ok thanks. So for a cup of water I would only use a few drops of kalk?? Once I get this I'm sure it will be easy.

 

[Sk8r]

It's, for starters, until your corals really start eating, 1 teaspoon kalk per gallon; go to the internet for cups-per-gallon: I think it's 16. you can get a measuring spoon that's 1/8th tsp. That would let you make up 2 gallons in a bucket, lid and save it. Ultimately, the most ro/di will EVER dissolve naturally is 2 tsp per gallon. Stir it once, lid it, and never use any white precipitation in the bottom of the bucket. Just the filmy water. When your alk and cal needs start exceeding 1 tsp per gallon, go to 2.

Those of you with larger tanks, you CAN put your ATO pump in the [lidded] bucket and adminster kalk through the ATO system.

 

[MaxxedMan]

What if I raised my Alkalinity from 7 to 13, CA if 450, and my mag is about 1400

Do I need to lower it since the Mag at 1400 will lock it?

 

[Sk8r]

Good question, maxxedman---Because everything is a bit HIGH---I'd let that 'run down' a bit and get LOW. It'll take a while, because of the high mag, but let it run out, let everything fall slightly, then THEN set the mg, and raise alk up to 8.3-9.3, the ca to 420-250, all ok;

If you're already LOW, set your mg level FIRST, to lock it, because if it isn't, you'll be pouring in stuff trying to add it faster than it can fall---so if you're LOW, start with mg, get that up, THEN raise alk, then cal.

Think of the mg, indeed, as sort of the foundation. If everything is high, let it all fall until the last of the 3 has sunk into an acceptable range, then lock the mg to a proper reading, which holds everything steady --- think of it as rather like a chock under a wheel, if you were working on something that could roll---and then fix the other two readings. If everything is already low, then kick the chock under the wheels, (raise the mg) and fix the other two. Otherwise it will all be a moving target.

 

[avelino78]

Sk8r thanks for all your advice. I ordered all the chemicals and I even found the pickle lime at Walmart for 2.25 a bag. I think I'm also going to order a JBJ ATO and will set it up to dose the kalk from a bucket with a lid like u said. I will have to put a ledge in the bucket so the pump won't be on the bottom probably use some egg crate. Once again thanks. I hope it works out but I'm sure if I have any issues you will have the answers.

 

[Paul B]

SKR8, nice thread. I am glad you take the time to give all this advice.
I almost never give advice because I do everything wrong. :wavehand:

 

[xCry0x]

+1 on importance of this.

I procrastinated on testing Alk/Mag/Cal since I have a small tank and do large changes weekly with red sea pro salt mix. Finally got the tests and my alk was down in the 7.8-8.0 range. Bumped it up to 9.0 and I might be seeing things but my corals seem much happier, everything is more open and I can start to see some new growth after only a week.

 

[avelino78]

How long do I have to wait after I dose mag before I can test for it?? Also for all and calcium????

 

[Sk8r]

I give any dose about 8 hours to settle. It's not only got to dissolve, but to do what it does with the other chemicals in the tank. I want to be sure it's changed what it will change and is through doing it before I add more. It's a question of accuracy.

 

[avelino78]

Ok I have been giving it a day. I did everything you said and also set up an ATO with the Kalk everything is dialed in. I don't know if it's just me but my rock in just a week has more purple on it then ever. Thanks for your help.

 

[Sk8r]

I just hope you don't get as much coralline as I have---I'm always scraping the stuff!

 

[avelino78]

I'm starting to get some on the glass but I scrapped it off.

 

[cwbhawk]

Why does the Kalk ATO water have to be lidded? Would it be okay if the lid was just propped on top of the bucket? I ask because I can't close my top off water bucket due to the tubing that goes from the bucket to the DT. Would I need to cut a hole in the lid in order to have a tight fitting lid when I start dosing kalk?

 

[Sk8r]

Either notch the bucket, or get some rolled up paper towel or a strip of sponge to allow your cords out. I use a Brute trashcan, so the towel works well for me, but you can get sponge packing material or bubble wrap or anything that'll let those cords out. It doesn't have to be hermetically sealed, just discouraged. If you don't do that, you get this hard skin atop your kalk. I honestly don't know how bad it is for anything, but that's wasted kalk and it hastens the day you'll have to take your bucket outside and hose it out. You'll have to ask Randy or Disk One what the skin is composed of. Calcium is part of it, but it could be the air (oxy-nitrogen-co2) reacting with the kalk.

 

[Bowels]

Ok so let me get this straight I get my Mag and ca params set right, then from that point on I just top off with kalk water which is this kalk stuff dissolved in RODI water? and I just use this kalk water for all top offs?

 

[Sk8r]

Get alk, cal, and mg at the levels in my sig line, then yes, exactly right. This is adequate for all the stony coral you can stuff in a 54, and pretty well for a heavy coral load up to about 75 gallons. Beyond that, in larger tanks, corals will out-eat your evaporation rate and you have to use a calcium reactor to keep up with their appetite for calcium. BE sure to let the kalkwater settle as much as it will before using it. It should be about the filmyness of a few drops of milk dissolved in a glass of water. If you let it settle properly, you CANNOT overdose, because ONLY the right amount CAN dissolve in ro/di. The excess settles to the bottom to wait for more ro/di.

 

[Bowels]

This is a dumb question... what is the difference between Alk and Ph? isnt Alk the base part of the ph? or am I just totally wrong. :-/

 

[Sk8r]

It's not a dumb question: http://www.ppg.com/chemicals/askjoepool/questions/Pages/090_difference.aspx This is the explanation for pools.

OTOH, ignore ph. It changes too often in our tanks to be useful in any but real problem situations. Track alk instead. It changes more slowly, and there is alkalinity buffer to slow down changes even more. If your magnesium is 1300 and your calcium is 420, it will lock your alkalinity in until the mg runs low. This is a great thing for us trying to keep a reef---but then reef critters have had millions of years figuring out what kind of chemistry is stable enough to hang their ecosystem on, and the alk/mg/cal relationship is the golden 3, where it comes to keeping corals.

 

[kingevil]

can mg be kept up with only water changes? i use red sea coral pro salt and i have a somewhat 'light' bio load in my 40g. no corals yet as i'm still trying to get my parameters situated. my mg is now at 1200 after a week and i know is should be higher. the tank has only been up for a week with no cycle as i transported live rock from an established tank and use new, live sand. should i start with a water change and test again? all of my levels are low compared to what it says on the salt bucket. i have the exact figures at home but i believe the kh is 9, calcium is 380. water is 35ppt at 79 degrees.

is there a way around dosing altogether if i only want to keep some lps and/or softies?